Carlos Alcaraz is now 20-0 in first-round matches at Grand Slams after opening win at Australian Open

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz made a winning start to his 2026 Australian Open campaign on Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night, defeating Australia’s Adam Walton in the first round of the Happy Slam, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-2.

It was actually a winning start to his 2026 season, period—he didn’t play any official lead-up tournaments over the last few weeks.

But the Spaniard came out strong on Sunday, cruising through the first set in 34 minutes, bouncing back from 3-1 down to take the second set on a tie-break, then rolling through the third in 32 minutes to close it out.

And with that victory, Alcaraz kept a very impressive stat going—he’s now 20-0 in his career in first-round matches at the Grand Slams.

Alcaraz is just the second man this century to win their first 20 or more first-round matches in a row at Grand Slams, after Rafael Nadal, who won his first 34 before finally losing one to Steve Darcis at Wimbledon in 2013.

ALCARAZ IN FIRST-ROUND MATCHES AT GRAND SLAMS: 20-0

• d. Van de Zandschulp in '21 Australian Open 1st Rd, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
• d. Zapata Miralles in '21 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6
• d. Uchiyama in '21 Wimbledon 1st Rd, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
• d. Norrie in '21 US Open 1st Rd, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
• d. Tabilo in '22 Australian Open 1st Rd, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
• d. Londero in '22 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-4, 6-2, 6-0
• d. Struff in '22 Wimbledon 1st Rd, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
• d. Baez in '22 US Open 1st Rd, 7-5, 7-5, 2-0 ret. (leg)
• d. Cobolli in '23 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
• d. Chardy in '23 Wimbledon 1st Rd, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5
• d. Koepfer in '23 US Open 1st Rd, 6-2, 3-2 ret. (ankle)
• d. Gasquet in '24 Australian Open 1st Rd, 7-6, 6-1, 6-2
• d. Wolf in '24 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
• d. Lajal in '24 Wimbledon 1st Rd, 7-6, 7-5, 6-2
• d. Tu in '24 US Open 1st Rd, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
• d. Shevchenko in '25 Australian Open 1st Rd, 6-1, 7-5, 6-1
• d. Zeppieri in '25 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
• d. Fognini in '25 Wimbledon 1st Rd, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
• d. Opelka in '25 US Open 1st Rd, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
• d. Walton in '26 Australian Open 1st Rd, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2

Alcaraz will be back on the court on Wednesday for his second-round match against Germany's Yannick Hanfmann, who defeated American qualifier Zachary Svajda earlier in the day in four sets, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3).

The Spaniard has beaten Hanfmann in straight sets in both of their previous meetings, first a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) victory at a Challenger event on clay in Seville, Spain in 2019 when he was only 16 years old, and then a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the first round of Beijing in 2023, on hard courts.

A two-time champion at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, Alcaraz is trying to complete a Career Slam in Melbourne this year—and he would be the youngest man ever to achieve the feat if he does it this year.